Check-box for irrigating-ditches.



H. W. STONE.

CHECK BOX FOR IRRIGATING DITGHES. APPLICATION FILED JANJS, 1913. 1,070,302.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913 ATTO R N EY cc., WASHINGTON, a. c.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

HEMAN WARD sronn, or CALDWELL, IDAHO.

CHECK-BOX FOR IRRIGA'IING-DITCI-IES.

, To all whom it may concern:

inexpensive construction and long life.

It is customary to construct check boxes so as to control the flow of water from irrigating ditches to the corrugatlons or furrows which take the water to the soil to be supplied therewith. The check boxes permit the raising of the level of water in the distributing ditch so that it will flow freely into corrugations above it. The check boxes are so placed in the ditch that the bottoms of the chutes are approximately even with the bottom of the ditch. By means of suitable gates which may be placed in the check boxes the level of water in the ditch is;

raised to the desired height.

The present invention has to do with a check box ofsuch character, and is so constru'cted that it may be readily formed of two pieces of sheet metal suitably protected tion of water or air or both.

the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification with the further underpractical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with tive view of the improved check box as seen from the rear. Fig. 2 is a central vertical;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 18, 1913.

Patented Aug. 12,1913. Serial No. 742,943.

section. Fig. 3 is a front view of the face plate before being bent into shape. Fig. 4 s a face view of a cut blank ready to be bent to form the chute portion of the box.

Referring to the drawings there are shown two plates 1 and 2, respectively, the plate 1 constituting the face plate or wing and part of the chute of the check box, and the plate 2 constituting the remainder of the chute of the check box. The plate 1 is generally rectangular in outline, and the margins are turned out, as indicated at 3 to form reinforcing or stiffening flange serving to hold dirt about the box, thereby preventing wash-outs which are liable to occur by the burrowing of the water around the edges of the face plate. lVithin the borders top portion 6 is bent along a line indicated at 7 until at substantially right angles to the face plate 1, the top portion 6 projecting from what may be termed the rear of the j face plate 1. That portion of the plate 1 by a coating against deterioration by the ac- Galvanized iron is the usual material employed, al though, of course, the invention is not confined to such material and two sheets of galvanized iron are so prepared by cutting; and bending that they may be united into. a

between the transverse cut 5 and the shorter ends of the cuts 4 constitutes a lip 8 which is bent along a line indicated at 9 in a direction toward the front of the face plate 1 until at approximately right angles thereto.

The plate 2 is also rectangular, being somewhat longer than wide, and from the ends has inclined projecting cuts 10 formed therein and at appropriate other points cuts 11, 12 permitting the narrow portions of the plate to be bent to constitute flanges 13, 14. The end portions of the plate 2 for'a dis tance defined by the 'cuts 10 are bent upon lines indicated at 15 to form sides 16 of g the chute box, while the space between the standing that while the drawings show a lines 15 and a line 17 joining the adjacent ends of the cuts 10 constitutes a bottom 18 for the chute box, this bottom portion at the end remote from the line 17 and between the cuts 12 being provided with a projecting lip or flange 19. 7

The port-ion of the plate 2 on that side of 3 the cuts 10 remote from the side members 16 In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspechas each end bent on itself along an approximately intermediate line 20 and the extremity of the bent portion is further bent into a flange 21. The sides 16 are brought into parallel relation with the flanges 14: inturned one toward the other, and to these flanges the top 6 is riveted, as indicated at 32, or any other means of securing the parts together may be employed, and to stiffen the end of the top 6 it may be upturned in the form of a flange 23, the top 6 being long enough for the purpose. The flanges 13 are outturned and are secured to the face plate 1 by rivets 24 or in any other appropriate manner. The flanges 21 are secured to the sides 16 by rivets 25 and the return portions of that part of the plate 2 separated from the sides 16 by the cuts 10 are secured together by rivets 26, such portion of the plate being bent at substantially right angles to the bottom 18 to form a depending member 27 at what may be termed the rear end of the chute. The lip 19 may be attached to the face plate 1.

There is thus produced from two pieces of metal, preferably galvanized sheet iron, a rigid check box which may be installed in a manner which will overcome any tendency of burrowing of the water around the face plate and effectually prevent any washing of the walls of the ditch or laterals at the point where they join. Such a check box may be cheaply constructed and is free from the objections of wooden check boxes very largely in use in that the improved check box will last for many years instead of rotting out in two or three years as is the case with wooden check boxes. Moreover, there is no possibility of cracking or warping or the separation of joints which has been found very objectionable with wooden check boxes.

The front plate or wing may have the reinforcing marginal portions bent either forwardly or rearwardly, but the forward bend is preferable, and not only does the marginal flange give the necessary rigidity to the wing, but forms a shoulder against which the earth will pack closely and ofier great resistance to seepage, and of water cutting around the sides or underneath the wing. This is advantageous since nearly all washouts occur from water getting through under the wing instead of around the sides. Forming the top of the chute integral with the front plate or wing provides an especially strong structure, while the lip 8 serves as a support for a gate used to cause a rising of the level of the water in the trench. The rear wing 27 of the chute is of especially rigid construction being in one piece with the plate from which the chute is formed.

TVhat is claimed is 1. A check box provided with a front plate or wing, and a chute extending therefrom, the front plate or wing having marginal portions projecting beyond the plane thereof.

2. A check box provided with a fiat front portion, and a chute connected to and extending therefrom, the front portion having projecting parts constituting stiffening members and lodging members for the earth in which the box is embedded.

3. A check box having a front plate or wing, and a chute connected to and projecting therefrom, said front plate being formed of sheet metal with the marginal portions bent into projecting relation to the plane of one face of the plate.

4-. A check box comprising a face plate with an integral portion bent away therefrom, and another plate having portions bent and united with the first named plate and the part bent away therefrom to form a chute.

5. A check box comprising a face plate with an integral portion bent away therefrom, and another plate having portions bent and united with the first named plate and the part bent away therefrom to form a chute, the second plate being provided with another portion bent to form a wing at the end of the chute remote from the first named plate.

6. A check box comprising a face plate with an integral portion bent away therefrom, and another plate having portions bent and united with the first named plate and the part bent away therefrom to form a chute, the second plate being provided with another portion bent to form a wing at the end of the chute remote from the first named plate, and said first named plate be ing provided with a lip bent.therefrom in a direction remote from and substantially in line with the bottom portion of the chute.

7. A check box comprising a plate constituting the front of the check box and having an opening therethrough with a portion of the material cut away to form the opening bent with relation to the plate in one direction therefrom and another portion of the material of the plate cut away to form a part of the opening bent to form a plate in the direction away from the first named part, and another plate bent to form the bottom and sides of a chute and attached to the first named plate with the first named bent away port-ion of the first plate secured to the sides of the chute and constituting the top thereof, the first named plate having its marginal portions bent into projecting relation with reference to one face of the first named plate.

8. A check box comprising a face plate having the marginal portions bent into reinforcing and earth engaging relation to one face of the plate and with a portion of the body of the plate cut to form an opening through the plate with the cut parts bent in opposite directions from opposite ends of the plate, and another plate bent to form the bottom and sides of a chute with edge flanges of the sides united to one of the cut away portions of the front plate to form the top of the chute, and With other edge portions constituting flanges united to the first named plate about the opening therethrough, that end of the chute remote from the face plate being bent at an angle to the bottom of the chute and having its ends returned upon themselves and united to the sides of the chute.

9. A check box formed of two plates one constituting the face plate or Wing of the box and provided with an outstanding lip to form a support for a gate and the other plate being shaped and united to the first plate to serve as a chute.

10. A check box form-ed of two plates one of which has an opening therethrough and the other of Which is united to the first plate about said opening and shaped to form a chute for directing Water passing through the opening, the first named plate having marginal projecting portions constituting reinforcements and earth engaging means and also With a projecting lip constituting a gate support, and the second plate having an anchoring Wing formed at the end remote from the face plate.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

HEMAN WVARD STONE.

lVitnesses:

ALFRED F. STONE, EZRA BICKNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

